Happy holidays pasta: Pretty and tasty


I was trying to make a simple dish for my high school reunion that was an alternative to lasagna (I made that too, but not everyone wants something so heavy at a party.)
I was going to make Pasta Alfredo. Good, but pretty bland...it's like a study in white...beautiful, but it lacks a little something in presentation. And, well, we live in Florida  and white Christmases are something a bit foreign to us. Green and red...those are pretty much the colors of our celebrations. Green grass. Green trees. And Santa hats.
I'm not complaining about Florida Christmases...I love not having to take the time to shovel off my driveway when I want to go to the grocery. I love that I can walk outside barefoot on Christmas morning and I love that I can go out and pick stuff out of my garden to put in my holiday dishes.
I decided to go with the green and red theme for the pasta dish. I think it gives a delicious dish a really fun twist - as it were...
So, I pulled out some of that garden rotini - you know the spinach and tomato flavored twists - and put the dish together based around that. By the way, I've scaled this recipe down to a family sized recipe rather than the large portion I made for the party.
Christmas Rotini Alfredo with Mushrooms and Onions
Pasta
1 box garden rotini
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, sliced thin
1 tablespoon olive oil
Alfredo Sauce
1/2 cup sweet butter

2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese
  • Make the sauce first, as it takes a little longer than the rest:
  • Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium/low heat.
  • Add the garlic, cream, white pepper and bring mixture to a simmer. Stir it often to keep it from clumping up.
  • Add the Parmesan cheese and simmer for about 10 minutes (until sauce is thick and smooth).
  • Add the Mozzarella cheese and stir continuously until it smooth.
  • Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain.
  • Meanwhile, in a skillet, sautee the mushrooms and onions in the olive oil just until the onions are softened.
  • Mix the veggies with the pasta and then mix in the sauce.

Vegetarian.

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